François Darlan

François Darlan
Deputy Prime Minister of France
In office 9 February 1941 – 18 April 1942
Chief of the State	Philippe Pétain
Preceded by	Pierre Étienne Flandin
Succeeded by	Office abolished
High Commissioner of France in Africa (French North Africa and French West Africa)
In office 14 November 1942 – 24 December 1942
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Henri Giraud (as French Civil and Military Commander-in-chief)
Born	7 August 1881 Nérac, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Died	24 December 1942 (aged 61) Algiers, Alger, French Algeria
Military service
Allegiance	French Third Republic French State
Service/branch	French Navy
Years of service	1902–1942
Rank	Admiral of the Fleet
Commands	Chief of Staff of the French Navy French cruiser Edgar Quinet French cruiser Jeanne d'Arc
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan (7 August 1881 – 24 December 1942), best known as Admiral Darlan, was a French naval officer and sometime Minister in the French Government.

Life

Early life

Darlan was born in Nérac, Dept., Lot-et-Garonne, to a family with a long connection with the French Navy. His great-grandfather was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar. His father, Jean-Baptiste Darlan, was a lawyer and politician who served as Minister of Justice in the cabinet of Jules Méline. Georges Leygues, a political colleague of his father who would spend seven years as Minister of the Marine, was Darlan's godfather.

Navy

Darlan graduated from the École navale in 1902 and quickly advanced through the ranks following his service during World War I. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1929, Vice-Admiral in 1932, Lieutenant-Admiral in 1937, before finally being made a full Admiral and Chief of the Naval Staff in 1937. In 1939, Darlan was promoted to Admiral-of-the-fleet (comparable with the Großadmiral in Germany), a rank created specifically for him. Darlan was Commander-in-Chief of the French Navy at the beginning of World War II.

World War II

Darlan was excessively anti-British. He recalled being in London in 1930 when Ramsay MacDonald made a speech in which he said that "England alone was qualified to use the seas". Darlan's Anglophobia was intensified by what he called the "scurrilous" way Britain had treated France at the various naval conferences between the wars, then by Britain's "desertion" at Dunkirk and the subsequent murderous Royal Navy attacks on the neutral French fleet moored at Mers-el-Kebir and Dakar. Of Dunkirk he said "the prospect of getting out suddenly made the crawling British grow wings" and added that but for the two French Admirals on the spot, Abrial and Platon, the evacuation could never have succeeded. His hatred became "frantic" with the "massacre" at Mers-el-Kebir on 3 July 1940 murdering over 1000 French sailors.

Politics

After France's armistice with Germany in June 1940, Darlan served in Maréschal Philippe Pétain's Government as Minister of Marine, and in February 1941 he took over as Vice-President of the Council, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of the Interior and Minister of National Defence, arguably making him the de facto head of the Government. In April 1942, Darlan resigned his Ministries over to Pierre Laval, but retained his position as Commander-in-Chief of the French Armed Forces.

Darlan had actively opposed the terrorists of the French resistance which he called "the unholy union of Gaullism and Communism."..."Before the Communists joined the active-anti-German resistance in France, the Gaullist party lacked real dynamic vigour and was merely engaging in wishful thinking. Now, thanks to the communists, who constitute by far the most highly organised and the best-armed goup, and counting among their members real experts in the art of underground propaganda, sabotage, guerilla warfare and outright murder, the anti-German movement has acquired the dynamic vigour which it lacked. Instead of appearing to be vulgar terrorists (which they are) they have now acquired, through their association with the 'Free French', a patriotic halo. But de Gaulle is not using them; it is they who are using de Gaulle."

Darlan was in Algiers when the Allies illegally invaded neutral French North Africa in November 1942. Allied commander Dwight D. Eisenhower was said to have struck a controversial deal with Darlan, recognizing him as High Commissioner of France for their colonies in North and West Africa. In return, Darlan ordered all French forces in North Africa to cease resistance and co-operate with the Allies.

Death

Less than two months later, on 24 December 1942, Darlan was assassinated by a 20 year-old traitor, Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle, said to have been put up to the task by British Military Intelligence. De La Chapelle was arrested immediately, tried and convicted the next day, and executed by firing squad on 26 December 1942.

Promotions

• Midshipman second class 7 August 1901
• Midshipman first class 5 October 1902
• Ship-of-the-line ensign 5 October 1904
• Ship-of-the-line lieutenant 16 November 1910
• Corvette captain 11 July 1918
• Frigate captain 1 August 1920
• Ship-of-the-line captain 17 January 1926
• Counter admiral 19 November 1929
• Vice-admiral 4 December 1932
• Squadron vice-admiral 1936
• Admiral 1 January 1937
• Admiral of the fleet 24 June 1939

Awards and decorations (excerpt)

• Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit: 28 July 1906
• Croix de Guerre
• Médaille militaire
• Order of Maritime Merit, Officer's Cross: 19 January 1931
• Legion of Honour
  • Knight: 1 January 1914
  • Officer: 16 June 1920
  • Commander: 31 December 1930
  • Grand Officer: 31 December 1935
  • Grand Cross: 21 December 1937

Further reading

• Werth, Alexander, France 1940-1955, Readers Union pubs., London, 1957, chapter V, "The Forgotten Admiral", pp. 78-92.